Sermons and Special Music
from services during the pastorate of Ralph L. Wrightstone

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From Bethel UMC Services of
January 7, 2025 thru December 28, 2025

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Click on the symbol to begin playing an audio recording.

January 2025

05 - Epiphany Sunday
...... (04:34) - Special: When All is Said and Done, sung by Travis today
...... (03:23) - Introduction and Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
...... (13:51) - Message: "What Were the Gifts?"

12 - First Sunday after Epiphany
...... (01:14) - Scripture: Luke 3:15-17,21-22
...... (14:54) - Message: "It's Time to Light the Fire!"

19 - Second Sunday after Epiphany
...... (01:51) - Scripture: John 2:1-11
...... (12:09) - Message: "Water to Wine"
...... (00:32) - Conclusion
...... (01:47) - Closing Prayer

26 - Third Sunday after Epiphany
...... (01:45) - Scripture: Luke 4:14-21,22
...... (13:16) - Message: "The Great Reveal"
...... Other Scriptures: Luke 4:22-30, Luke 2:21-35

February 2025

02 - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
...... (02:46) - Scripture: Luke 4:20-30
...... (13:45) - Message: "Unmasked"

09 - Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
...... (02:06) - Scripture: Luke 5:1-11
...... (17:04) - Message: "Go Deep"
...... (00:58) - Closing Words
...... (01:08) - Closing Prayer

16 - Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
Tina Oaks led the service today while pastor Ralph and Judy were out of town.
...... (03:41) - Scripture: Luke 24:13-35
...... (16:48) - Message: "A Burning Heart"
...... (00:31) - Do You Remember?
...... (00:54) - Closing Prayer

23 - Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
...... (01:08) - Scripture: Luke 6:27-38
...... (17:18) - Message: "A New Commandment"

March 2025

02 - Transfiguration Sunday
...... (01:33) - Scripture: Luke 9:28-36
...... (11:14) - Message: "A Look from Cloud Nine"
...... (The Cloud picture was shown on the wall during the sermon.)
...... (00:40) - Closing Words

09 - First Sunday of Lent
...... (02:41) - Scripture: Luke 4:1-13
...... (15:29) - Message: "Breaking Bad"
...... (00:40) - Reading: "The Road Not Taken"
...... (00:31) - Closing Words

16 - Second Sunday of Lent
...... (01:31) - Scripture: Luke 13:31-35
...... (16:46) - Message: "Who Lives in You?"
...... (00:31) - Closing Words

23 - Third Sunday of Lent
...... (03:17) - Scripture: Luke 13:1-9
...... (17:42) - Message: "Repent or Perish"

30 - Fourth Sunday of Lent
...... (03:45) - Special Song: "When God Ran" - sung by Travis Oaks
...... (02:26) - Scripture: Psalm 32, making things "right" with our heavenly Father
...... (03:34) - Scripture: Luke 15:1-3,11-32, read by Travis
...... (13:54) - Message: "The Patient Father"
...... (01:26) - Closing Remarks....the last words of Jesus from the cross.

April 2025

06 - Fifth Sunday of Lent
...... (01:23) - Introduction and Scripture: John 12:1-8
...... (12:49) - Message: "The Annointed"

13 - Palm Sunday
...... (02:09) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
...... (15:20) - Message: "Don't Let Them but Let Him"
...... (02:13) - "The Ending of the Story"
...... (03:15) - "Some Final Words of Jesus"

20 - Easter Sunday
...... (02:33) - An Easter Song - "I Know He's Alive in Me"...composed and sung by Travis Oaks
...... (01:43) - Scripture: Luke 24:1-12
...... (11:58) - Message: "The Resurrection"

27 - Second Sunday of Easter
...... Hymn Sing - there was no sermon this week, but this page in the photo album allows you to experience the service

May 2025

04 - Third Sunday of Easter
...... (03:01) - Introduction and Scripture: John 21:1-19
...... (15:48) - Message: "Black or White or Grey"

11 - Fourth Sunday of Easter - Mother's Day
...... (02:27) - Special Music: "I Hope I'm a Little Bit Like Mom", sung by Travis Oaks
...... (02:37) - Introduction and Scripture: John 10:22-30ff
...... (16:42) - Message: "When Do You Feel Safe?"

18 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
...... Hymn Sing - there was no church sermon this week, but this page in the photo album allows you to experience the service

25 - Sixth Sunday of Easter - Heritage Sunday - at Bethel Pond
...... (No recording was made of the service at the pond...these recordings were prepared for the online service on the same topic.)
...... (01:31) - Scripture: John 14:15-21
...... (15:09) - Message: "Remember"

June 2025

01 - Seventh Sunday of Easter
...... (02:18) - Scripture: John 24:44-53
...... (11:25) - Message: "Wait!"

08 - Seventh Sunday after Easter - Pentecost
While pastor Ralph was returning from the UM Florida Conference meeting in Lakeland, Lay Leader Tina Oaks and music director Travis Oaks were leading the service.
...... (01:52) - Special Music: Welcome Holy Spirit
...... (17:24) - Message: "Faith Over Fear", referenced Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:32-37
...... (02:16) - An Exercise, a psalm and a prayer

15 - Trinity Sunday
...... (02:09) - Scripture: John 16:(5-11),12-15
...... (12:36) - Message: "Too Much to Handle"

22 - Second Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:05) - Introduction-about the choice of scripture
...... (02:54) - Scripture: Luke 8:26-39
...... (15:04) - Message: "We All Need Healing!"
...... (02:40) - "How Do We Find Healing?"

29 - Third Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:53) - Scripture: Luke 9:51-62
...... (12:59) - Message: "Keep On Keepin' On"

July 2025

06 - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:05) - Scripture: Luke 10:1-11,16-20
...... (11:02) - Message: "Motives Do Matter"

13 - Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (04:12) - Special: "Lily of the Valley", sung by Travis
...... (03:14) - Scripture: Luke 10:25-37
...... (16:38) - Message: "The Rest of the Story"

20 - Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:16) - Scripture: Luke 10:38-42
...... (13:23) - Message: "Remember WWJD?"

27 - Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:25) - Special: "Precious Jesus, Rose of Sharon", sung by Travis Oaks
...... (01:55) - Scripture: Luke 11:1-13
...... (16:46) - Message: "What is the Right Way to Pray?"

August 2025

03 - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:52) - Special: "A Place Called Mt. Calvary", sung by Travis Oaks (with apologies for the quality of the recording)
...... (01:33) - Scripture: Luke 12:13-21
...... (15:18) - Message: "Heart Rhythm"
...... (01:05) - Space Music - this provides for viewing the youtube video referred to in the message.

10 - Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:56) - Special: "One Day at a Time", sung by Judy Wrightstone and Travis Oaks
...... (01:45) - Scripture: Luke 12:32-40
...... (15:39) - Message: "Stay Awake"

17 - Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:07) - Special: "Show Me the Way Home", sung by Travis Oaks
...... (01:38) - Scripture: Luke 12:49-59
...... (12:19) - Message: "What is Reconciliation?"
...... (02:14) - Message: "Closing Remarks"

24 - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:41) - Scripture: Luke 13:10-17
...... (19:30) - Message: "Bent Out of Shape"

31 - Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:54) - Introduction
...... (02:21) - Scripture: Luke 14:1-14
...... (11:46) - Message: "Eagle-Like Eyes"
...... (02:38) - Planting Seeds for the Future

September 2025

07 - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:11) - Scripture: Luke 14:25-33
...... (02:08) - Message: "A Contrast Beteen Love and Hate" - introduction
...... (08:20) - Message: The "Teaching" Part
...... (08:09) - Message: The "Sermonizing" Part - We Need a Vision

14 - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:15) - Scripture: Luke 15:1-10
...... (04:22) - Message: The "Teaching" Part: Parables
...... (08:29) - Message: The "Sermonizing" Part: "Do Our Values Drive Our Behavior"
...... (03:46) - Message: "A Dream and a Challenge"

21 - Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:37) - Scripture: Luke 16:1-13
...... (16:46) - Message: "God Knows Your Heart"

28 - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:08) - Scripture: Luke 16:19-31
...... (17:49) - Message: "An Empty Space"

October 2025

05 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:20) - Scripture: Luke 17:5-10
...... (11:10) - Message: "What is True Friendship?"

12 - Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Homecoming
...... (01:37) - Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48
...... (16:00) - Message: "My Friend Can Be Your Closest Friend"
...... The First of a Series

19 - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:54) - Scripture: John 5:24-30
...... (23:45) - Message: "Jesus, Your Merciful Friend"
...... The Second of a Series

26 - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:33) - Introduction - transition of scriptures
...... (03:00) - Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14
...... (12:44) - Message: "Jesus, Your Wisest Friend"
...... (03:51) - Preparing to Pray
...... (01:05) - Closing Prayer
...... The Third of a Series

November 2025

02 - Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:12) - Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23
...... (14:48) - Message: "Jesus is Your Unchanging Friend"
...... The Fourth of a Series

09 - Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Ralph was away today and retired elder Robert Tindale brought the message.
...... (02:38) - Scripture: Luke 19:1-10
...... (22:21) - Message: "A Different View of Zacchaeus"

16 - Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:52) - Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
...... (13:57) - Message: "Jesus, Your Ever Present Friend"
...... The Fifth of a Series

23 - Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:22) - Scripture: Revelation 5:1-5
...... (12:20) - Message: "Jesus as Our Majestic Friend"
...... The Sixth of a Series

30 - First Sunday of Advent - Chrismon Service
...... (00:40) - Introduction to the Message
...... (01:40) - Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25
...... (06:31) - Message: "What is Advent?"

December 2025

07 - Second Sunday of Advent
...... (02:39) - Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
...... (12:52) - Message: "God Is With Us"

14 - Third Sunday of Advent
...... (02:29) - Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11
...... (22:34) - Message: "Have You Ever Doubted Your Faith"

21 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
...... (01:55) - Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25
...... (22:37) - Message: "Here is Your Sign"

24 - Christmas Eve Service
...... (01:16) - Intro and Scripture: Matthew 4:12-17
...... (00:58) - Commentary on the Scripture
...... (13:25) - Message: "Jesus Is the Light"

28 - First Sunday of Christmas
...... (03:12) - Intro and Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23
...... (16:26) - Message: "The Escape"

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